Flue-stopper



W. R. CARROLL.

FLUE STOPPEH. APPLICATION FILED JUNI-:22, 192|.

1,397,758. A llaisented Nov. 22, 1921.

am, WMA

WILBUR R. CARROLL, OF BLOOMFIELD, GWA.

FLUE-STOIPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N0v 22,1921.

Application filed .Tune 22, 1921. Serial No. 479,598.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that'I, VVILBUR R. CARROLL, a citizen of the United States, and resident oit Bloomfield, Iowa, have invented new and use-ful Improvements in Fille-Stoppers, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

AT his invention relates to improvements in flue-Stoppers and particularly to the type thereofA in which a cover-plate is provided to close the flue-opening` and is held in place by mechanism mounted on the inner side thereof, said mechanism extending` into the flueopening to engage the wall thereof and being,` actuated by means operable from the outer side of the cover-plate. Generally the object is the provision ot a device ot simple and cheap construction, which can be easily mounted in or displaced from the'tlue, which willl firmly hold the cover-plate in place when mounted, and which will accommodate itselt1 to fines having a wall ot varying or diiiierent 'thickness around the iiue opening. The aforesaid and other objects are attained by the present invention the more preferred embodiment whereof is illustrated in the accompanying` drawing, wherein Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view showing the improved :due-stopper mounted in a flue having' a wall ot' uniform thickness around the fine opening;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the device mounted in tlue having a wall of uneven thickness;

. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, showing the device displaced from the iiue and the holding` mechanism collapsed, the actuating,- screw-rod being removed.

Fig. l is a detail sectional view on the line Ll---t of Fig. l.

As shown in the drawing, the cover-plate l, preferably in the form of a disk, is ot sutilcient diameter to overlap the face ot the wall adjacent to the flue opening. @n the inner side ot the cover-plate is riveted the `flanged plate 2 in a central position. .y Extending through the iiange of the plate 2 is the pin 3 on which are hinged or pivoted ends of the diverging links 4. These links are pivoted or hinged at their tree ends by the pins 5 to the inner ends ot the crossed levers 6 pivoted or hinged together at their intersection by the pin 7. The inner ends of the levers, from their extremities connected with the linkse to the pin 7, are approximately of the same length as the links so that these parts can be collapsed to a closed position as shown in Fig. 3. The outer ends of the levers, from the pin 7 to their outer extremities, are considerably longer than the Ylinks and the extreme ends are twisted and curved to `term shallow hooks or bearing,` members 8 adapted to engage the inner face of ythe wall through which the flue passes.

ln a central aperture 9 in the cover-plate l andthe flanged plate 2 is loosely mounted the screw-rod l() for actuatingthe holding mechanism. Inward movement of the screwrod through the aperture'is limited by its head il contacting with the cover-plate,and this head also serves as a handle for rotating the rod from theouter side of the plate. In operative position the screw-rod engages the threaded 4'flange of theplate 12 pivoted on the pin 7 forming the pivot for the levers 6.

ils the screw-rod isrotated one way or the other and 'held against longitudinal movement the plate l2 is moved through its threaded engagement with the rod and carries the pin 7 with it. When the pin 7 is moved away *from the cover-plate l the lazy- 1Longs, formed by the levers and links, is extended; when the pin is moved toward the cover-plate the lazy-tongs is retracted.

In mounting the device in a flue the screwrod l() is inserted in the aperture 9 in the cover-plate l and its end is turned a few turns into the `threaded opening of the plate l2.v `With therod so engaged it is pushed through the aperture to extend the lazytongs, which is theninserted in the flue opening and the cover-plate is positioned against the wall over said opening. The

lazy-tongs being1 so positioned, the hooks 8 on the ends ot the levers 6 extend beyond the inner tace ot the wall. then rotated to move the plate l2 toward the cover-plate. This movement ofthe plate The screw-rod 10 is4 use of the device in iue-openin 12, carrying with it the pin 7 on which are g ivot'ed the levers 6, retracts-the lazy-tongs. As the lazy-tongs is retracted the levers 6 are opened and the hooks 8 are projected over the inner tace of the wall. In the retraction of the lazy-tongs the head 11 of the screw-rod 10 bears on the closure-plate 1 to limit the inward movement of said rod and a strong pull is exerted on the plate 12 and thereby the hooks 8 are irmly pressed against the inner face of the wall to hold securely the closure-plate in place over the -liue opening. yTo release the device they screw-rod 10 is turned to inove the plate 12 away from the closure-plate 1 and this movement cfr-the plate 12 extends the lazy-tongs to disengage the hooks from the wall so that the deviceV can be withdrawn rorn'the flue opening. To facilitate packing and storing the screw-rod is turned to clear the plate 12 and is withdrawn from the closure-plate.

,The device is then compactly collapsed as vshown in Fig. 3, with the vhooked ends of levers Sapproximately even with the peripheral edge of the cover-plate'. i

lt is lto be observed that the laZy-tongsas a wholeis pivoted on the pin 3 so that it can be moved laterally thereon.- To accommodate this lateral movement the screw-rod 10 has a loose lit in the aperture 9 of the coverplatesothat it can follow the lateral -displacement of the lazy-tongs. This lateral displacement of the lazy-tongs permits the gs having unevenl thickness in the wall on opposite sides of the flue-opening, as shown in Fig. 2. The hooks 8 have.considerableqlength to in- Vsure a bearing engagement at their Yextremities on` the inner face ot the wall irrespective of lateral displacement of the lazytongs. lt is 'to be noted that the engagement of the hooks wlth'the inner face of the iue wall is not effected by wedging action of the mutually pivot-ed levers 6, but by a direct pull imparted to the-hooks by the contraction ltivo lengths which aretwisted together to V.form thescrew-threaded portion. rlhe rod so formed is much cheaper than ii made of a single length of wire with threads cut therein.

vWhat is claimed-isr- Y 1. In a {lue-Stopper,V the combination with a cover-plate for the flue opening in a wall, of `diver: ;ing links hinged at one end to the cover-plate7 crossed levers pivoted together at their intersection and hinged at their inner ends to the :tree ends of said links respectively and'adapted toengage the wall in ner ends to the free ends ot said links respectively and` adapted to engage the wall in which the flue opening is formed to secure the lue-stopperin place,y and a rotatable rod extending through'the cover-plate and having a screw-threaded connection with said levers so that the rotation ot the rod `will actuate the jointed links and levers to engage said levers with said wall to hold the coverplate in place with relation to the iiue-opening. v

3. ln a. flue-stopper, the combination with a cover-plate 'for the flue opening in a wall, of diverging links hinged at one end to the central part of the cover-plate, crossed levers pivoted together at their intersection and .hinged at their inner ends to the free ends of said links respectively and adapted to engage the wall in which the iue opening is formed to secure the flue-stopper in place, a plate pivoted to the crossed levers at their intersection, and a rotatable rod extending through the cover-plate and having a screwthreaded engagement with said plate so that the rotation of the rod will move said plate to actuate the'jointed links and levers to engage said-levers with said-wall to hold the cover-plate in place with relation to the ilue opening. n

el.V ln a fine-stopper, the combination lwith a cover-plate for the llue opening in a wall,V of aV lazy-tongs hinged at one end tothe central part of the cover-plate and adapted at its other end to engage the wall in which the flue opening is formed to secure the fluestopper in place, said lazy-tongs being laterally displaceable to accommodate itself to a flue opening in Va wall of varying thickness around said opening, and means for retracting the lazy-tongs to move thev same into engagement with said wall to hold the cover-plate in place over the flue opening.

5. ln a flue-stopper, the combination with a cover-plate for the flue opening .in a wall7 of a lazy-tongs hinged at one end to the central part of the cover-plate and adapted at its other end to engage the wall in which the flue opening is'ormed to secure lthe fluestopper in place, said lazy-tongs being laterally displaceable to accommodateritself to a Hue-opening in'a wall oi varying thickness around said opening, and a rod loosely vmounted in the cover-plateto inlove longitudinally therein and connected with the lazy-tongs and operable to retract the lazytongs to move the same into engagement With said Wall to hold the cover-plate in place over the flue opening.

6. ln a fine stopper, the combination with cover-plate for the liuc opening in a. Wall, oi a lazy-tongs comprising diverging links hinged at one end to the central part of the cover plateA and crossed levers pivoted toget-her at their intersection hinged at their inner ends to the free ends of said links respectively, said lazy-tongs being laterally displaceable, as a Whole, and means for retracting said lazy-tongs to project said levers into engagement with the Wall around the flue opening to secure the flue-stopper in place, the lateral displacement of the lazytongs operating to accommodate said lazytongs to a Wall oi' varying thickness around the flue opening.

7. In a line-stopper, the combination with a cover-plate for the flue opening in a Wall, of a lazy-tongs comprising diverging links hinged at one end to the central part of the cover-plate and crossed levers pivoted together at their intersection hinged at their inner ends to the :tree ends ot said links respectively, said lazy-tongs being laterally displaceable as a Whole, and a rotatable rod loosely mounted in the cover-plate and having a pivoted screw-threaded connection with the crossed levers at their intersection, the rotation of the rod operating to contract the lazy-tongs to project said levers into engagement with the Wall around the flue opening to secure the flue-stopper in place, the loosely mounted rod and laterally displaceable lazy-tongs operating to accommodate the flue-stopper to a Wall ot varying thickness around the flue opening.

8. In a line-stopper, the combination with a cover-plate for the fine opening in a Wall, of diverging links hinged at one end to the central part of the cover-plate, crossed levers pivoted together at their intersection and hinged at their inner ends to the tree ends of said links respectively, Wall-engaging hooks extending laterally from the outer ends of said levers, a threaded plate pivoted on the common pivot of said lever, and a screw-rod extending through the cover-plate, said screw-rod engaging said threaded plate, the rotation of the screw-rod in one direction operating to move the threaded plate toward the cover-plate to retract the extended levers and links and to open the onter ends of the levers to project laterally the hooks carried thereby over the inner face of the iiue Wall to be pulled against the same to hold the cover-plate in place over the iiue opening.

9. In a flue-stopper, the combination with,t a cover-plate Jfor the flue opening in a Wall, of a lazy-tongs comprising` diverging links hinged at one end to the central part of the cover-plate and crossed levers pivoted together at their intersection hinged at their inner ends to the free ends of said links respectively, said lazy-tongs being angularly displaceable as a Whole around thepivotal connection of the links With the cover-plate, elongated Wall-engaging hooks extending laterally from opposite sides of the lazytongs from the outer endsof said levers,

Va threaded plate pivoted on the common pulled against the same to hold the covery plate in place over the flue opening.

10. In a flue-stopper, the combination with a cover-plate for the flue opening in a vvall, of diverging links hinged at one end to the central part of the cover-plate, crossed levers pivoted together at their intersection and hinged at their inner ends to the free ends of said links respectively, Wall-engaging hooks extending laterally from the outer ends of said levers, and means for retracting the jointed links and levers to open the latter to project the hooks over and against the inner Jface of the Wall to hold the coverplate in place over the flue opening.

1l. 1n a flue-stopper, the combination with a cover-plate for the flue opening in a Wall, of a lazy-tongs comprising diverging links hinged at one end to the central part of the cover-plate and crossed levers pivoted together at their intersection hinged at their inner ends to the free ends of said links respectively, said lazy-tongs being angularly displaceable as a Whole around the pivotal connection of the links with the cover-plate, elongated Wall-engaging hooks extending laterally from opposite sides of the lazytongs from the outer ends of said levers, and means for reti-acting said lazy-tongs to open the pivoted levers to project laterally the hooks over the inner face of the line vvall and to pull the hooks against such face, the angular displacement of the lazy-tongs and the elongated hooks operating to accommodate a Wall of different thickness on opposite sides of the `l'lue opening.

12. 1n a line-stopper, the combination of a cover-plate for the llue opening in a Wall, means mounted on said plate to extend into the tlue opening and engage the Wall in which said opening is formed to secure said plate in position, said securing means being loosely connected to said plate and thereb)T adapted to automatically assume a position an y mut

to accommodate rregularites in the flue opening Wall engaged by said securing means.` Y Y 13. In a flue-stopper, the combination of'a Cover-plate for the line opening in a Wall, means mounted on said plate to extend into ,theV fluevopening and engage the wall in which said opening` is formed to secure said plate 1n position, 'said securing means being WILBUR R CARROLL. 

